Sharleen brings in the big hitters
Scots stars help Texas to write latest album
from the Daily Record - 24 June 2005 - Exclusive By John Dingwall

TEXAS beauty Sharleen Spiteri has enlisted the help of two Eighties legends for her band's latest album.

Bobby Bluebell of hitmakers The Bluebells and Blue Nile frontman Paul Buchanan have both shared the songwriting.

Sharleen roped in Bobby, real name Robert Hodgens, to help write the band's new single Getaway, which is released on August 1.

And the song could mark one of Bobby's biggest hits since his days with The Bluebells - who scored a string of pop classics such as Young At Heart and Cath.

Meanwhile, Blue Nile legend Paul - who has enjoyed a string of cult classic albums such as Hats, High and 1983 debut A Walk Across The Rooftops - has collaborated on the Texas song Sleep.

He joins Sharleen for a stunning duet, which is expected to be a fans' feelgood favourite.

Texas hope the Scottish connection will give them their biggest selling album in years when Red Book is released on October 31.

It will be the result of more than two years of writing and studio sessions for the band Sharleen, new drummer Michael Bannister, bassist Johnny McElhone and guitarist Ally McErlaine.

Sharleen admits the new blood has been drafted in because Texas are hungrier than ever for success.

She said: 'You stay hungry through songs, wanting to write your best yet.

'That's why I'll always try new things and why Johnny and I will always write with others and change the way we work. Get our head down and push things along every time.'

On the new album's title, she said: 'I'd been writing lyrics, thoughts and ideas in this big red book.

'It was a collection of many ideas and thoughts for these new songs.

'I hit a real roll in terms of songwriting and lyrics. The album is all that honed and boiled down and worked over and combined with other people's ideas and interpretations, polished into 45 minutes of music.'

Bannister, previously a backroom studio engineer for Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai, Aberfeldy and other Scottish bands, found himself thrown into the deep end when he joined the band for the new album.

Immediately, he had to work with heavyweight international producers such as Dallas Austin, Mike Hedges and Spike Stent.

Fans will be able to hear the new material when Texas play at the Special Olympics opening ceremony at Celtic Park on July 2, while Texas will also tour in the autumn.

Sharleen said: 'We tried out a few of our new songs at a festival in Switzerland in the winter.

'Getaway, which will be our first single from the album, was the highlight, it had the crowd jumping about like mad in their moon boots and stuff.

'Red Book is a story book in the sense that I've drawn influence from things going on around me. I get to meet people and observe quite extraordinary and sometimes extreme things happening.

'The album explores some dark lyrical moments and some light, but the whole thing is meant to be a celebration of us actually being in this thing together.

'All my new words were different attempts to work around that


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